Among the dead are both civilians and security personnel, and according to the official, the number of victims may continue to rise.
The Cuban government reported the death of 32 of its citizens who were defending Maduro. These individuals died in combat or as a result of airstrikes by American forces.
“As a result of the criminal attack carried out by the U.S. government against brotherly Venezuela in the early morning of January 3, 2026, 32 Cubans who were carrying out missions on behalf of the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior at the request of Venezuelan authorities were killed during the hostilities,” the official statement said.
Miguel Díaz-Canel, the President of Cuba, announced a two-day national mourning period, which will last from 06:00 on January 5 to midnight on January 6. During these days, flags will be flown at half-mast, and all events will be canceled.
On January 4, Venezuelan Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino López stated that during the operation to capture Maduro, U.S. special forces destroyed a significant part of his security detail.
The U.S. military operation against Venezuela began on January 3. As a result, Maduro and his wife were captured and taken out of the country, facing charges of involvement in a criminal scheme related to financing terrorism through drug trafficking. Maduro and his wife are expected to be held accountable in the U.S.
